Missionary Steve Potutschnig (M.A. 1992)
and his wife, Lori, coordinate Latin America ChildCare (LACC)
in Bolivia, South America. Steve is currently in the Doctor
of Ministry Program at AGTS.

LACC
Bolivia is a compassion and development ministry that provides
hope to needy children through Christian education, medical care
and nutrition. It integrates the biblical principles of evangelism,
church planting, community building, education and social responsibilities
for development of good health. Presently, LACC Bolivia has 6 schools
with more than 2,800 children. One school is close to a prison:
220 children leave the prison and their parent(s) each day to attend
classes. There they receive education and a hot meal, only to return
to the prison to sleep at night. Another school, Light and Truth
of Cochabamba, exists on a former garbage dump. Of the nearly 1,400
children there, the majority come from makeshift homes with no
indoor plumbing. Almost 10 percent are orphans or street children.

Pastor Teófilo, of the church at Light and
Truth School, grew up on the streets of La Paz, Bolivia. After
a miraculous healing and conversion, Teófilo became a pastor
and church planter. He subsequently started a school. I have worked
with Pastor Teófilo, applying knowledge gleaned from my
studies at AGTS to coach him and help him devise ways to reach
more students.

LACC strives for transformational development. At
the heart of transformational development is the local church.
The goal is for the local church to develop into the center of
the community.

For example, Light and Truth Church seeks to serve
the community by establishing technical-training workshops. Presently,
the church conducts computer, sewing and hair-styling workshops.
Plans are to establish masonry, metal-work, carpentry, confection
and microenterprising workshops as well. They are part of an integrated
developmental plan that respectfully empowers the body, spirit,
soul and social aspects of the individual. These workshops will
be a tool to bring about holistic transformation in the people
who attend the church.

Poverty is a complex problem. No matter where you
encounter it, however, it exists as a result of broken relationships—in
families, in communities and with God. We sense a special presence
of God at the schools. Today’s challenge is to minister and
love the whole person—spiritually, physically, socially and
emotionally. LACC is a ministry that is rising to this challenge.